If you ever play an instrument you might wonder what the end goal is. I’ll tell you a possible one: recording. If you are able to record what you paly on the piano or the drums without any mistakes, you can be proud of yourself. The fact is that microphones do not lie. More than that, people are their toughest critics and when you listen to yourself, it can get bloody.
Yes, I know that recording isn’t as big of a beast as it used to be. In old times we used very minimal effects to straighten up anything. Whatever was coming out the instrument was what will stay printed forever. Nowadays programs help with tempo, dynamics, tone and pitch, which is pretty much the whole game. Nonetheless, you can decide to put to the tape a certain piece and see how far the electronics can take you. I’m not saying that AI and correctors aren’t great. But they are also tedious. You end up micro-managing your song so hard, by the time you’re done, you don’t recognize it.
I like the process of recording. I do. For the longest time I used to dread it. Put some kind of headphone on my melon, give me click to get started and I would start to sweat. Now, with the advent of home recording, I don’t care if I do 20 takes on a silly little tune. I’ve got nothing but time. Besides, now I also have enough skills on the drums or piano to find my way through whatever piece I decide to commit to eternity. I am at ease with myself. So, recording has become fun. I am looking forward to plugging the microphones and hearing the click in the headphones (The “click” is the metronome that helps you keep good time.).
I think I can attribute that level of ease to the fact that home studios are a dime a dozen but I can also see that the hard work I’ve done practicing is paying off. Not only can I play, I can create different atmosphere, themes and styles as I am going. Oh joy!
Most of what I record is for my students. There will be play-along songs to illustrate whatever page I need them to study. But, who knows, maybe one day I’ll take on a more ambitious project and produce a song or five and make an album. Like I said, I’ve got time, nothing but time.
